Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), is announcing an investment of $600 million across 12 domestic COVID-19 test manufacturers and the reopening of COVIDTests.gov to deliver COVID-19 tests for free to households across the country.
These critical investments in U.S. manufacturing will improve preparedness for COVID-19 and other pandemic threats of the future, strengthen the nation’s capacity to manufacture tests, and secure approximately 200 million new over-the-counter COVID-19 tests for future federal government use.
The awardees are:
$88.7 million for Access Bio in New Jersey.
$4.5 million for Advin in California.
$61.2 million for Azure in Texas.
$86.4 million for CorDx in California.
$167 million for iHealth in California.
$20.7 million for InBios in Washington.
$31.4 million for Kwell Laboratories in California.
$49.5 million for Maxim Bio in Maryland.
$5.7 million for OraSure Technologies in Pennsylvania.
$28.7 million for Princeton BioMeditech in New Jersey.
$28.6 million for Quidel in California.
$20.5 million for Sekisui in Delaware.
“The Biden-Harris Administration, in partnership with domestic manufacturers, has made great strides in addressing vulnerabilities in the U.S. supply chain by reducing our reliance on overseas manufacturing,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
“These critical investments will strengthen our nation’s production levels of domestic at-home COVID-19 rapid tests and help mitigate the
spread of the virus.”
Combined, the 12 U.S. manufacturing companies operate production facilities across the country and employ hundreds of workers in seven states.
“Manufacturing COVID-19 tests in the United States strengthens our preparedness for the upcoming fall and winter seasons, reduces our reliance on other countries, and provides good jobs to hardworking Americans,” said Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell.
“ASPR’s investments in these domestic manufacturers will increase availability of tests in the future.”
In addition to the investments in domestic manufacturing, beginning September 25, households will again be able to order four free tests through COVIDTests.gov.
These tests will detect the currently circulating COVID-19 variants, are intended for use through the end of 2023, and will include clear instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates.
This upcoming round of ordering follows four previous rounds in which ASPR and USPS provided over 755 million tests free of charge to households across the country.
These efforts complement ASPR’s ongoing distribution of free COVID-19 tests to long-term care facilities, low-income senior housing, uninsured individuals, and underserved communities, with 500 million tests provided to date through these channels.
To learn more about the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, please visit ASPR.HHS.gov. (Courtesy: https://www.hhs.gov/)
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